As the Dust Settles
by ShouldIGetOutandPush
Summary: Now that the Empire is defeated, Leia reveals to Han that Vader is her father and worries how he'll take the news.  How will this affect their future together?  My version of Han/Leia post-ROTJ.  *COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1  Disclosure

As the Dust Settles

Chapter One: Disclosure

Han Solo paced back and forth in an empty corridor of _Home One_, the newly formed New Republic's Flagship Frigate. Finally deciding to sit on one of the empty benches flanking the walls of the corridor, Han lowered himself down and rested his elbows on his knees. Down the hall he watched a maintenance man slowly scraping away at the words 'The Alliance to Restore the' from the door to the conference room.

They had done it.

Of all the years he had spent with the Rebels, Han could never honestly say that he thought he would ever see this day. The more time he spent with them, the more he had hoped they would somehow persevere, but a certain ingrained realism prevented him from visualizing this seemingly impossible victory. That had all changed a few days ago, when against all odds his friends and the woman that he loved had rescued him from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt and the empty, frozen darkness of carbonite.

Whether or not he truly believed that the Rebels would pull off yet another magnificent coop against the Empire and destroy yet another Death Star didn't matter. He was in. He had joined their forces to sink or swim. Failing with them became much better than watching them fail without him. Had he done it for the woman that he loved? To repay her for all that she had sacrificed to save him? Not entirely. It was much bigger than the both of them and the both of them knew that.

But now they had won and they - the princess and a guy like him - had become bigger than anything else. At least to him. Mere seconds after their victory he had been willing to step aside for her happiness and Han still thanked the goddess that Luke was, by some miracle, her brother. During the celebration, everything seemed somehow more incredible with her at his side. She seemed just as leery of letting him out of her sight as he did of letting her out of his. His only complaint of last evening being the dozen or so rebels that had ended up sleeping on the _Falcon,_ which had prevented any celebratory fun for him and the Princess.

Not that that would have stopped _him_.

Han sighed as he read the remaining words 'store the Republic' on the door that the maintenance man slowly tended to. He had just escaped from a five hour long meeting that had dragged him out of his bunk early that morning. Five hours of talking about plans and the path forward for the New Republic including charts and graphs and speeches about the vision of their future. All things he really wanted to discuss with Leia.

Han knew that this one victory did not mean the war was automatically won. He didn't expect to sign up and then quit once the celebration was over, either. He had committed and he fully intended to work with the Rebels - or the New Republic - to restore peace and prosperity throughout the galaxy. But the galaxy was a very large place and the New Republic was a well-organized government. They could take care of themselves. Give Han his marching orders and be done.

But he and Leia, they were a different story. They had barely confessed their love to one another before they were cruelly torn apart. Then, Han had hardly wiped the sleep out of his eyes before they pinned the General's insignia on him and sent him on his way. Now, after a few dances, several lingering hugs and a few kisses, they were separated yet again.

Han glanced back towards the conference room door. The only word left was 'Republic' and the maintenance man began lining up the additional letters of 'The New'. Han ran his finger in between his collar and his neck, his uniform suddenly itching.

Admittedly for Han there was not much to discuss. He loved her and was willing to do anything to be with her. Although he had come to reluctant terms with the fact that these first several months would have them going in separate directions, he hoped that his General's rank would eventually allow him to perform more tactical type work from headquarters or the Capital City; certainly wherever Leia would be. But Han had been around the galaxy one too many times to let himself believe that it would be that easy.

Would the New Republic keep them apart as they were already doing today? Or would Leia have doubts about the two of them forging a future together? Did she even entertain thoughts of a relationship with the reformed smuggler post her "Alliance to Restore the Republic" days? He certainly wanted at least some tentative answers on all of these fronts before they were separated yet again.

His search for answers was what brought him here, lingering in an empty corridor while the rest of the Rebels mapped out their future. He wanted to chart out his own future, at least roughly, with the woman that defined the word future for him.

Han's stomach turned and rumbled but was overshadowed when his heart leapt up into his throat at the sound of the conference room door finally swooshing open.

Han stood up, straightened his posture (a habit he found came hand in hand with wearing a general's uniform) and waited. Watching and nodding greetings to each person who exited the room, Han was not surprised that Leia was one of the last to appear before him.

She was walking and talking as she entered the now crowded corridor and she came to an abrupt halt when she caught sight of him. Flashing a quick half smile at him, she turned to her counterpart, finished their conversation and then walked towards the awaiting General.

Wanting nothing more than to scoop her up in his arms and kiss her madly, Han restrained himself and settled for a respectful, "Princess," mixed with a crooked, devilish grin. The smell of her perfume assaulted his senses before her response hit his ears.

"General," she replied with a nod and a smile as her eyes darted up and down the corridor. Apparently satisfied with the continuing retreat of her colleagues, she took another step towards him and asked, "What are you doing here?"

He stared at her a moment, letting her nearness sink in. This was not exactly the greeting he would have liked on several levels, but he understood this side of her, so he switched gears and replied, "There's an Imperial Garrison that refuses to surrender on Kashyyyk. Chewie wants to join in the fight and…I'd like to go with him - to lead the mission."

He watched her look at him and as it became more and more apparent that she didn't intend to respond, he added, "I'm expected back with an answer…and I wanted to talk to you first."

"Of course," Leia said as she shook her head, apparently coming out of her stupor. "Of course, you should go." The couple both gave a polite nod to a passerby and then Leia added, "When will you leave?"

"Mon Mothma has agreed to send the Rogue Squadron for support. We should be assembled and ready to go in no more than a week." He watched as her eyes glazed over and he imagined he could hear the wheels inside of her head spinning like the gears on the _Falcon _when she slips into hyperdrive. Frowning, he took her by the arm and led her back into the conference room she had just vacated, before he asked, "What's the matter?"

Visibly relaxing in the privacy of the now empty conference room, Leia answered him in a low voice, as if her words deserved no better than a whisper, "I wanted to go somewhere. I was wondering if you could take me."

Thoroughly confused by her behavior and now very strange request, he responded, "Where to?"

"Alderaan," she answered quickly and then looking down and away from him, she added, "I wanted to see…"

Some of her behavior, if not her request, making sense now, Han took a step towards her and as she looked up to him he asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she answered, finally finding her voice. And then as if she was inquiring about a routine supply run, she added, "How long will it take?"

Raising his eyes up to the ceiling and taking a long deep breath, Han quickly worked out some rough calculations, none of which had anything to do with parsecs or hyperspace. He looked back down at this unsolved mystery of a woman and answered, "Three or four days."

"Will you take me? Do you have enough time?"

A lump formed in his throat and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Ignoring these internal warning signs, Han swallowed, nodded his head slowly and said, "Yeah. Sure."

* * *

The _Falcon_ eased out of hyperspace smoothly, unlike the last time Han Solo had piloted her to Alderaan. Using the coordinates from New Republic intel, the ship settled into real space just outside of the swirling debris that had once been Leia's home planet.

It only took a day and a half to reach Alderaan but that had been plenty enough time for Han to realize that his and Leia's relationship was not where he thought it was or wanted it to be. Her behavior only grew more and more perplexing as he tried his very best not to push her too hard to talk to him, or kiss him, or for all the nine hells of Corellia – to make love to him. Sleeping next to him in his bunk, Leia might as well have been a million parsecs away.

They had barely even kissed.

Han heard the click of Leia releasing her crash webbing and turned to watch her stand and look out the viewport in silence. Lifting himself out of his pilot's chair, he stood next to her for a quiet moment. Shifting his weight from one foot to another, Han wondered if the sound of his creaking joints was disturbing Leia's concentration. Clearing his throat, he finally asked, "You want me to leave ya alone?"

"No, I want you here," she responded without ever taking her eyes off of the view in front of her. Han followed Leia's gaze out of the viewport but his attention kept drawing him back to her profile in front of him. She looked so much older now then when he had first met her. The ten years between them had seemingly vanished. Han was no fool, he knew exactly what had aged her so quickly over the short time he knew her. Clenching his fist, he silently swore to protect her from that kind of heartache for the rest of his life.

After a long period of silence she began to shake her head back and forth as if unwilling to believe what she saw. When she finally spoke it was in a low, throaty whisper and she said, "I'll never…I'll never get all the answers. I don't understand anything anymore. I don't understand…"

Not knowing just what to say or exactly what she was talking about, Han took a step to stand behind her. Placing his hands on her upper arms, he felt her trembling beneath him. As he began to gently rub his hands up and down her arms from her elbows to her shoulders, he joined her in her silent vigil. What answers could she expect to get from the atrocity set out before them? Han found himself shaking his head back and forth in disbelief as he watched her broken planet spin busily before them.

Unlike the jumbled mass of rocks that the _Falcon_ had landed in the midst of all those years ago, the bits of debris had organized themselves into a parade of sorts, spinning along its spiraled path; one behind another on a journey to nowhere. As Han tried to imagine all those pieces coming back together to form a living, breathing world of mountains and lakes and sentient beings, Leia broke the long silence and said, "They made me watch."

He stilled his hands and looked at the back of her head. It was no longer moving back and forth and Han followed her loosely wound braid as it hung down the back of her neck and curled over her shoulder and out of sight. Not wanting the answer he knew would accompany the question, he pushed the word out of his mouth, his voice timid and low as he asked, "What?"

She turned around in his arms and as she looked up into his eyes, she said, "Vader. And Tarkin. They made me watch." Staring at him for a quiet moment, she added, "I've never told anyone that."

The need to swallow overwhelmed him and it actually hurt when he finally did. It was as if he was swallowing the words she had just told him and they hurt going down his throat as much as they must have hurt coming up through hers. She was watching him as if gauging his reaction to her news and finally finding his voice he croaked out, "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I had no idea."

"I thought…" she said, looking up towards the ceiling of the tiny cockpit. Han watched the tears build up in the corners of her eyes. She looked back down at him and swallowed as if digesting her unvoiced words. Her lips parted as if she might let them crawl back up again, but then she closed her mouth quickly, biting her lower lip as she turned back around and stared out the viewport, leaving her unfinished thought hanging in the air between them and weighing on his mind.

_Bastards_. He thought to himself as he stood behind her, unsure of what comfort to give. Unable to find any words that seemed sufficient, he just stood there, hoping his presence was comfort enough.

She began to shake her head and he tried to imagine what was going through her mind. She looked down at her hands as she started to speak again, "I thought that would be the hardest thing I would ever have to say out loud. I've kept it inside of me for all these years. But now…"

Han watched her spin around to look at him and his breath caught in his throat. Silent tears were streaming down her cheeks and the shattered look on her face brought him back to a smoky orange platform in a city in the clouds.

"What is it?" Han asked her, stepping towards her and grabbing her shoulders in desperation. She seemed unable to speak, as if in shock. He finally pulled her to him, wrapped his strong arms around her and whispered, "It's okay, sweetheart. You don't have to say anything."

They had talked about her internment on the Death Star, about her interrogation with Vader and she had assured him that nothing had been done to her physically. This new revelation, albeit still not physical torture, made Han wonder just what else had been done to her that she had not found the courage to share with him.

And what answers was she searching for? When they had first arrived it almost seemed to be about Alderaan and her family, not the Death Star and her imprisonment. As he felt Leia's body begin to tremble violently within his arms, Han pulled away from her and with a new desperation in his voice he looked her in the eyes and said pleadingly, "Sweetheart?"

Leia looked as if she may be sick as Han watched her open her mouth, but it was words that began to fall out of her mouth as she said, "There's more to what Luke told me on the bridge that night." Han furrowed his brow. "More than just that we're twins."

Squeezing his hands at her shoulders, Han swallowed and said, "Honey, what? What could be-"

"He knows who our father was."

"_And_?"

She turned away from him and looking down at her hands again she whispered, "And…I want you to know that I won't blame you…"

Han's mind spun, unable to race to any conclusions, he pleaded, "Leia, c'mon, what is it?" He watched the back of her head again, the slight movement of the long, loose braid hanging down the middle of her back his only indication that she was crying.

As her attention turned back towards the cruel reminder outside of the viewport, he joined her as they silently watched the floating pieces of Alderaan dance in front of them. He barely heard her whisper one word out into the darkness, "Vader."

He did not say a word.

Trying to quickly process the flow of their entire conversation, Han felt a wave of nausea wash over him as it all, horribly and inexplicably, fell into place.

She spoke softly into his silence, "His name was Anakin Skywalker. He was… a Jedi before…before he became…" Her head fell down into her hands and she sobbed. Han reached out and turned her around as he pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair as she cried, "He tortured me. He destroyed…" And then wrenching herself out of his embrace, she forced herself to look up at him as she croaked out, "He tortured _you_…"

_This can't be true_, he thought to himself as he looked at the shattered expression on her face. He let out a deep breath and then tilted his head to one side and let a small frown creep across his lips. _How can I protect her from a galaxy that makes this possible?_ _Did she come here for answers from her father? Answers she would never get, apparently because of her real father?_

All of her actions and the distance between them now making sense to him, he studied her face and he realized something else. Taking her cheek into his hand, he wiped her tears away with his thumb and said softly, "This doesn't change anything for me." She let out a tiny breath and her eyes searched his face for the truth in his words. Knowing where her thoughts had been taking her, he took a step towards her and placed his other hand on the opposite cheek and with his frown slowly turning into a small smile, he said, "Leia, I love you."

For a split second she seemed ready to believe him, but then the cloud of doubt settled back over her face and she shook her head, turned away from him and looked out of the viewport once again.

After another agonizingly long silence, Han heard her voice crack as she said, "I'm almost sure Breha had no idea. But Bail…" He watched her shaking her head as she looked out at what remained of Alderaan, as if the longer she sat there and shook her head in denial the less it would be true. Finally she spoke in a whisper and said, "Everything he said, _everything_…it all makes sense now. So much more sense." She turned to face him and with a look that begged for him to have the answers, she asked, "How could he bring me home to her? How could he bring me into his home knowing what I was? What I was capable of becoming?" And then dropping her eyes as if in defeat she whispered, "How could he have ever loved me?"

Running his hand along the side of her face and landing on her shoulder, he said, "Sweetheart, you were a baby. Not a krayt dragon."

Her head snapped back up to him and Han saw a fire flicker in her eyes as her voice rose and she argued, "But I'm...I'm his flesh and blood! That… That…monster-"

"Has taken enough away from you!" He finished her sentence as he placed his other hand on her shoulder, ensuring he had her full attention, before adding, "He's stolen too many years from you already, Leia. Don't let him continue from the grave."

He took a step towards her and moved his arms to pull her to him but she bristled, shook her head and said, "I don't know anymore."

His heart fell. What did she not know anymore exactly? About her feelings for him? They looked at each other in silence and he whispered, "I love you. Don't find reasons to push me away."

She nodded her head half-heartedly and then turning away from him she said, "You need time to think." Looking down at her hands she added, "I think this time apart will be good for us."

Han felt as if he had just been punched in the gut. He had accepted the mission to lead the battle of Kashyyyk. Accepted it with Leia's blessing, knowing that it could mean several weeks, if not months apart for them. They had just gotten back together and now she was orchestrating their time apart. After all they had been through how did they end up here? "Leia don't do this," he said pleadingly, but she didn't acknowledge him and he just stood there once again staring out the viewport, looking for answers now just as much as Leia was.

Han's mind raced, trying to reconcile this new reality that had just been thrown into his lap. Realizing that she had had days to digest it and saddened at what conclusions that time had allowed her to draw, he finally spoke and his voice had a stern determination to it as he said, "I won't go to Kashyyyk."

"No, you have to go," she responded quickly and turning around to face him, she looked up at him and said, "And I want you to know that if you think things over and-"

"I _will_ come back for you," he cut off her train of thought and then added, "You hear me?"

She nodded her head and let him gather her up in his arms.

* * *

Knowing why Leia had been acting so strangely towards him had certainly helped Han deal with their very chilled love life. And as he held her in his arms now, alone in the lounge of the _Millennium Falcon_, he knew he should be enjoying this kiss they were heatedly sharing. But, as he felt her desperately pulling him towards her and even as he responded to her probing tongue with his own, sadly, passion was not the emotion that continued to stir inside of him.

Finally breaking for air, she looked up at him and he noticed she was biting her lip. Trying to ignore the tightening in his chest, he ran his finger along her jaw line as he said, "You kiss me like you don't expect to see me again."

Her bottom lip was immediately set free and as it rolled out from under her teeth, red and swollen both from their marathon kiss and Leia's nervous habit, she replied "Anything…," and then she stopped, as if her throat wouldn't release the lie she was about to tell, "could happen."

"You know, for a politician, you're a terrible liar," he said with a gentle smile.

Their time together since she had told him about Vader had been erratic at best. Han never had to wonder again what it might look like if someone held a smashball tournament inside of their heads, having seen the Princess of Alderaan volley thoughts and anxieties and fears back and forth inside of her skull at lightening speeds. He had held her and assured her and tried his best to understand her. In the end he knew he would have to leave it to fate, something he didn't hold much stock in.

Her attempt to attribute her desperate kiss to a fear that he may get killed in combat only served to feed into Han's indecision on leaving her at all. But for all that Chewie had done for him, Han knew that he must leave to fight alongside of his friend to free his planet and his family.

So here they stood, saying their goodbyes. Letting out a resigned sigh, he finally added, "_Nothing_ will keep me from coming back to you."

She blinked and a heavy tear fell down her cheek. She didn't even move to wipe it away, but whispered desperately instead, "I don't deserve you."

In what reality does a Princess whisper such words to cocky smuggler from Corellia? Han shook his head and smiled, "I know," and as he caught her next tear with his finger, he added, "I'm a giant pain in the ass." And then, pulling her into his arms he said, "But you're stuck with me, Your Highness."

"I love you," she responded through muffled sobs and he felt her snake her arms around his waist, squeezing him tightly.

"I know," he said as he pulled her away from him and kissed her. Hard and passionately and long and desperately, and this time was different than before and he hoped she could tell. When they broke for air he lowered his forehead to hers and whispered, "I love you, too."

A long, low growl from the cockpit finally separated the two. Knowing that following her down to the hangar floor would only lead to yet another goodbye, he hugged her and kissed her one last time and then watched her walk away.

Punching the code in to raise the gangway, Han waited and listened for the signature swoosh of the air pressure system pressurizing his sealed ship. The final thump of the locking mechanism jarred the spacer back to reality and he turned on his heel and headed for the cockpit.

Sliding into the pilot's seat, Han eyes slowly roamed over the _Falcon's_ control board. A wave of panic hit him as everything looked foreign to his blurry eyes. And while he sluggishly performed the pre-flight warm-ups, his co-pilot offered to find the long-lost user manual for him if he needed it. A reluctant chuckle cleared his head somewhat and the two friends spun the _Falcon_ around and headed for the expanse of space.

As he pulled the lever that catapulted them in to hyperspace, Han felt the space between him and Leia extrapolating astoundingly, as if every parsec placed between them represented some immeasurable emotional distance. He could only wonder what the addition of time would do to that calculation…


	2. Chapter 2  Arrangements

As the Dust Settles

Chapter Two: Arrangements

It had been six months since the Rebellion had blown up the second Death Star over Endor's moon. Nearly that same amount of time had passed since Han Solo had seen Princess Leia Organa, kissing her goodbye inside the _Falcon _while docked on _Home One_. The mixture of love and loss and pain he had seen in her eyes that day had haunted him the entire time he was away.

To say that the news that she shared with him that day while hovering over the remainder of her home planet, Alderaan, was not shocking would be a bald-faced lie. But to say that it would affect the undying love that he had for that woman would be even more absurd. Han had never loved anything or anyone as much as he loved Leia and now it seemed he may have to prove that to her all over again.

Han supposed he should have found that fact frustrating or disheartening, but he didn't. Not a believer in fate or any such nonsense, he did believe that somehow he and the princess belonged together. That they belonged to each other in some sort of cosmically inexplicable way that no matter what may come between them or be thrown at them, that they would always somehow remain intertwined.

That she expressed doubts of his returning to her had not fazed him, either. He could only imagine how the news that Luke had shared with her about their heritage had affected her emotionally. To find out that the man (or monster) that had plagued her young adult life with misery was indeed her father on top of everything else that had been dealt to her made Han wonder how she hadn't lost faith in more than just him.

During his time on Kashyyyk, working alongside Chewie in freeing his occupied home planet, Han had ample time to contemplate the implications of Leia's bombshell. He had internalized it, absorbed it and let it fester and churn inside of him. It was certainly disturbing. But never in the entire time that he came to grips with the reality of her situation did he ever doubt his love for her.

Knowing in his heart and soul that she would have had to spend the last six months digesting the same reality made Han's stomach spin. He wondered if during that similar exercise she had come to the same conclusions as he had. Had this time allowed her to accept her new reality and include him in it? Or not?

Making bad matters worse, as the New Republic had scrambled to take control of the galaxy, the interstellar communication portals and satellites along with the traditional galactic capital of Coruscant had been two of the last things that the dwindling Imperials relinquished. Han had been unable to communicate with Leia at all in the past six months. He had no idea what he would be walking into today.

During his lonely journey from Kashyyyk to Coruscant, Han had contemplated all potential possibilities. Preferably the woman that he loved realized that life without him would not be worth living and things would move forward for them; deliriously happy and content.

But then there was everything else.

She could have come to the realization that she had never really loved him and that their relationship was based mainly on war and drama and in the absence of the Rebellion she would like a _real_ General or a _Prince_, thank you very much. Or she could have been so devastated by the fact that Darth Vader was her father that she had come to the realization that she could not or would not allow herself to love anyone, much less him.

Han tried his best to prepare for whatever he might find on Coruscant. He reminded himself that he had lived without her before and he could certainly live without her again. He could join Chewie and it could be like the old days. Before he had met Leia life had been alright. He had taken some risks and gotten into a couple of scuffles, but he was a different person now. He could become a grown-up without her…or not. Scuffles and risks had been fun. But Han wondered just how reckless he would be without a reason for living.

Submitting his clearance codes and receiving his permission to land, Han fumbled with the controls of his beloved ship. Looking out over the bustle of Coruscant, Han surveyed the city that he had not visited in years. He had heard that the first couple of months had been a bloody battle over the densely populated capital city, but that the last few months had been more of a symbolic show of strength by the New Republic. Statues of the former Emperor were toppled. Buildings, streets and entire cities were renamed and ushered into the new era. Leaders were appointed, important positions were filled.

Han wondered what Leia had done during the battle and if she was okay; physically as well as mentally. He also wondered how submersed he would find her in this new government. Remembering the years that she had hidden behind the Alliance, desperately trying to escape having to face her feelings of guilt, failure and fear.

Han was tired of wondering.

As he set the _Falcon _down on its assigned landing pad, he looked out the viewport over the hangar floor. He immediately recognized a familiar figure walking hurriedly towards his ship and smiled. It didn't really surprise him that she was waiting for him, even though he was early and in spite of his doubts. Things had to go right for him someday, why not now?

He exited the cockpit, dashed through the main hold and lowered the gangway. As soon as the ramp began to lower, Han ducked and began to travel down to the hangar floor below, his view of Leia unfolding slowly and his heart beating faster as each centim of his princess was slowly revealed. First they locked eyes and the ramp lowered more and he saw her hands wrenched together in anticipation. A little lower and the ramp hit the ground as Han noticed what she was wearing.

The thin, flowing material of Leia's dress whipped about her legs as the crisp Coruscant breeze howled through the busy hangar. The dress was light green, Han's favorite color, and it hit her at the knees. She wore a low-heeled casual shoe and a small sweater top that was a shade darker than her dress. The air of Corsucant smelled industrial and reminded Han of Corellia. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as Leia's perfume mixed in with the distant memory.

Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid with several unencumbered strands framing her face and hanging down her neck and back. Han nearly froze in his tracks at the sight of her; she looked so different from the rebel with a blaster tucked in her waistband that he had been fighting alongside of for several years. He hoped that it was just her wardrobe that had changed so drastically…

He met her at the bottom of the ramp and she flung her arms around him and kissed him. No small fleeting kiss, no peck on the cheek like he was an arriving diplomat from a foreign plant, but a full-blown kiss, usually reserved for in his cabin, in the cockpit or the main hold…well, usually reserved for just about anywhere inside of the _Falcon_. Han's insides were turning to mush as the princess finally broke the kiss and lowered herself back down off of her tippy toes.

"You're kissing me like you're surprised I came back," Han teased her with a wink and a crooked grin.

"I'm not," she confessed as she smiled back at him.

Her words settled hotly into his chest and nuzzled up against his heart. So far so good, he conceded. Almost afraid to utter the question that sat at the tip of his tongue, like asking it would make her realize that she was not, he swallowed and cautiously inquired, "How are you?"

She silently let him study her for a moment, as if she was fully aware that he would get more out of her eyes than her words. Finally she replied; softly but firmly and never taking her eyes from his, simply, "Better."

Better was good, he decided.

Moving a stray piece of hair from her forehead, he bent down and kissed her there and as he drew away and found her eyes again, he smiled and whispered, "Good."

"I've missed you," she confessed as she looked up at him.

"I like being missed," he responded as he ran the backs of his knuckles along her cheek, tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and snaked his hand back behind her neck, all the while studying the face that he had memorized a million times over. He then pulled her towards him and exhaled heavily as she rested her head against his chest and returned his embrace.

This reception provided him an immense relief and he was more than a little surprised at how much it was affecting him. There was a tightening in his chest and he felt his eyes beginning to moisten. Then he felt Leia lift her head off of his chest and they reluctantly stepped out of their embrace.

"How's Chewbacca?" Leia asked him as she glanced at the _Falcon_ and back to him.

"Chewie's good. I stayed until we got the last of the Imperials off of Kashyyyk but he stayed behind."

"And his family?"

"Malla and the kids are fine. He lost a brother and an uncle and…well, everybody lost somebody, you know."

Leia lowered her eyes and shook her head, as if she knew all too well.

Han continued, "Chewie's leading a task force to find and free all the enslaved Wookiees throughout the galaxy."

Leia looked up and replied, "I'll make sure the New Republic is aware of that and that he gets all the help he needs."

"I told him as much."

"Good."

Han looked down at her and smiled as he noted, "You're wearing green."

"Yes," she replied and smiled as she added, "don't you like it?"

"I do. I don't recall ever seeing you in anything but white or khaki."

"That's not true. I wore a dress on Ord Mantell."

"You're right," he agreed as he watched his hand travel down her arm and capture her hand in his, "but I try not to remember much about Ord Mantell."

Leia shook her head at him and he wasn't sure what she was thinking, their versions of Ord Mantell still seemed to remain polar opposites. Changing the subject she said, "NRI didn't have you slated to arrive until next week."

"Yeah, that intel is about five months old," he replied and then squeezing her hand he added, "so how exactly did _you_ manage to know I would be here?"

"Well," she replied with a guilty smile. "I had a feeling."

"A good feeling?"

"Yes," she laughed and smiled at him as she pulled on his hand and they began to walk away from his ship. "Plus, I bribed some flight controllers."

Their casual conversation easing him out of his anxiety, Han chuckled and teased, "Now who taught you to do a thing like that?"

"Lando," she shot back at him with a devilish grin, if she meant to wound him, she succeeded.

"_Lando_?"

"Yes, we've actually been working together a little bit."

"Should I be jealous?"

"I don't see why, I'm sure Lando will spend plenty of time with you now that you're back," she deadpanned.

Han let out chuckle. Gods, did he miss her.

"Where are we going?" Han had been to Coruscant before, but everything looked so different and he couldn't tell where they were headed. He had arrived early in hopes that he could spend some time with Leia before he had to report to High Command and figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his life.

"Oh," Leia answered in surprise as she stopped and turned to him. "I thought you might want to relax and freshen up a bit."

He smiled down at her. Yes, he liked everything about Leia on Coruscant so far. "So, we're heading to…your apartment?"

Part of Han's debriefing on the relocation to Coruscant had included provisions for an apartment. He had been given the data chip outlining his options and the protocol to obtain his new quarters before he left for Kashyyyk. Unfortunately, he and Leia hadn't had a chance to talk about living arrangements during their trip to Alderaan.

"Um…yes," she answered evasively and Han watched blush creep her neck and into her cheeks.

"_Um_, yes?" Han repeated her. Leia Organa never said "um" and he wasn't letting this go by unnoticed.

Leia continued walking and answered him in a hushed voice, "Can we talk about this in private, _please_?"

Han shrugged and reluctantly conceded and as they continued to walk hand-in-hand towards this new chapter in their lives, Leia filled him in on some of the major players in the New Republic. Mon Mothma was Chief-of-State, Rieekan had been appointed a position over some secret intelligence wing of the military, Wedge was leading Rogue Squadron and the rest of the names and roles were just as predictable.

Han was surprised at first to learn that Lando had kept his commission, but as Leia explained the arrangement further, it made more sense. Lando had been appointed an Administrator role for Coruscant, and while the planet remained in a police state, Lando would keep his General's commission. But the expectation was that as soon as things had settled down, his position would be put up for an open election.

"I'd be surprised if he didn't get elected," Leia offered, "He really is doing a terrific job."

"Well, people and politics, that's right up Lando's alley," Han agreed and then asked, "What about you? You've told me about everybody but the one person I care to know about."

"Oh! I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional," Leia answered absently while she motioned for Han to enter the tall building approaching on their right. As he held the door for her and entered the massive lobby, Han had to take a minute to absorb his surroundings.

"Well, we're not on Hoth anymore, Your Highness," Han offered as he took in the large, glistening chandelier looming over their heads, its glowing reflection sparkling under their feet from the polished marble floors.

The lobby of her "apartment building" was cavernous and busy with important-looking people bustling all about. The sound of women's high-heels clicking on the floor bounced off the far corners of the room like a smashball and the smell of freshly cut flowers contrasted sharply with the smell of the busy Corsucanti streets. There were small seating areas sprinkled about, creating mini living rooms here and there where people sat and drank kaffe, some speaking in hushed whispers others with loud, booming laughter. After years of seeing nothing but Alliance-issued fatigues and dingy spaceport hangars, the place looked like a mirage.

Han looked over towards the reception desk, which seemed to be over a parsec long with several people working behind it. The middle of the room was sectioned off with barricades and a tarp was draped over the floor. Han noticed dust and debris peeking out from under the cover in stark contrast to the clean, shiny floors throughout the rest of the lobby.

"There was an Imperial insignia on the floor," Leia explained as she pulled Han towards the turbolifts. "It's been removed and the New Republic insignia will be put in its place."

"Ah," Han responded as he followed her.

Leia told Han which button to press on the turbolift and as the little car began to climb towards the one-hundred-and-thirty-second floor, Han asked, "So, what is it that you aren't intentionally not telling me?"

"Oh, that," Leia seemed to have genuinely forgotten where their conversation had left off. Of course, Han couldn't always trust his ability to read the polished politician, so he held his breath as she said, "I've accepted a position as the New Republic's Ambassador-At-Large."

"Which means…"

"Which mean that I'll be representing the New Republic to all of our member planets as well as acting as a liaison to potential new members to the New Republic, both by recruitment and by request. I have an office in the capital building and most of my role will be conducted on Coruscant."

As she finished the turbolift slowed and stopped at their floor. Han motioned for her to go ahead of him and he followed her down the long hallway as she continued to speak. The swirls in the carpet were dizzying as he walked behind her watching his feet walk along the winding hallway.

"Of course, the position will require some travel, both to member star systems as a show of support and to visit petitioning members."

Han noted the absence of any warning bells ringing in his head as he decided her position sounded appropriate for her skills and background and not too military or dangerous. Han never wanted to see Leia handle a blaster again.

She stopped in front of an alcove that sported two massive double doors that were flanked by two large planters with tall, brightly colored foliage trimmed into obelisks. Han had to raise his head to see the tops of them.

Looking down at Leia, Han waited.

"You can palm us in," she offered with a smile.

An anticipatory smirk crossed Han's face as he placed his hand on the scan grid and watched one of the doors slide open before them.

The couple walked in and as the door slid shut behind them, Han pulled Leia towards him and asked, "So, you let them program _my_ palm print to _your_ apartment?"

Placing her hands on his chest, Leia looked up at him and said, "Yes, well, they asked me for a list of nice men that I wanted to have access to my apartment."

"Is that right?" Han asked as he wrapped his hands around the small of her back and gave her a squeeze.

"Yes," she smiled as she snaked her hands up around his neck and looked him straight in the eye as she added, "But I told them I didn't know any _nice_ men and asked if I could have one scoundrel instead."

Han smiled down at her before he lowered his lips to hers and gave her a long, slow, deliberate kiss. Breaking away from her he studied her face again and then as his eyes were drawn to the rest of their surroundings, he couldn't help but say, "This is quite an apartment, Sweetheart."

Her apartment was…ornate, to say the very least. Extravagant and palatial were two words that came to Han's mind. From the life-size sculptures flanking the corners of the room, their eyes watching over them like sentries on guard. To the towering water feature, quietly trickling in the background of their conversation. Certainly it was all befitting for a member of the Royal House of Organa, but he just couldn't imagine her requesting anything close to this for herself. From the Rebel that had insisted on being treated like everyone else these past three years, something just didn't add up.

"Yes….well," Leia chuckled as she took a step away from Han and looked around the room herself, as if she still couldn't believe what it looked like.

Then the couple looked at each other and said in unison, "Lando."

"Lando, again?" Han added incredulously. Just what had gone on while he was away, he wondered.

"Cool your jets," she chuckled, "I guess I should explain."

"Yeah, I guess you should."

"Lando's role as Administrator of Coruscant includes everything, from law enforcement to traffic to _government housing_."

"Oh, so he had a hand in assigning our apartments."

"Yes, and he gave me this one. Said when he saw it, he couldn't see anyone else in it."

Han watched her as she moved her hand up over her mouth while she shook her head and looked around, her eyes landing on each of the life-sized guards. Moving her hand up to her forehead, she pushed her hair back and let out a deep breath as if in defeat. Han could only imagine the contest of wills that had taken place over this turn of events.

Han laughed at her as he shook his head and said, "I hate to see what he picked out for me."

"Oh…," Leia stammered as she dropped her hand down from her forehead and added, "um…"

Han watched the blush creeping up her neck again as he replied, "Another um?"

Perking up at her reaction, Han's interest was thoroughly piqued. He had forgotten about her request to hold off on this conversation until they were in private. "What's up?" He casually asked as he stepped towards her.

"Well, you hadn't put your request in before you left and Lando was pressing me on whether or not you would need your own quarters."

Han could imagine Lando taking great joy in performing that task. "And?"

"_And_, we didn't have a chance to talk about it."

"About what?"

"Our, you know, living arrangements."

Han looked down at her. Her eyes were nervously darting back and forth looking into his and she was lightly pulling on her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Don't look at me like that," she said in a huff. "We never talked about it."

"I know. I'm sorry, it's just… I'm wondering what all the blushing is about, that's all," he said as he pulled her closer to him and added, "My imagination is running wild at the possibilities."

She looked down at his shirt and began to play with his buttons as she said, "Well, I told Lando you wouldn't be needing an apartment." And then she dragged her eyes up to meet his. This time they were very steady.

"I'm kinda tired of living on the _Falcon_, sweetheart," he teased.

"This place has several spare bedrooms."

"I hope to never see 'em," he whispered as he bent down and kissed her. Yep, he definitely liked Coruscant.

Leia applied a light pressure with her hands on his chest and Han broke their kiss and looked at her. They had not been intimate since Bespin. Fresh out of carbonite, Han hadn't been up to the challenge before being thrown into the battle on Endor. Following the battle, much to Han's confusion, Leia had been distant and put him off on their trip to Alderaan, even though their time alone on the _Falcon_had afforded them the perfect opportunity to pick up where they had left off. Leia's bombshell once at Alderaan may have explained her reluctance sufficiently, but it also meant that nothing had happened between them on their way back to _Home One_ either.

Han felt his body responding to her nearness and her kisses and worked hard to keep himself in check. Although all indications so far seemed encouraging, he did not wish to pressure her. Despite the fact that he admittedly did not believe in such things, Han said a quick prayer to every deity he could think of that Leia was ready to enjoy all the advantages that living together presented.

"What time are you due to report in?" She asked. Han was surprised at how breathless she was already and the huskiness in her voice produced a stirring that he was not quite able to control.

"Not 'til tomorrow mornin'," he answered as he noted that she wasn't the only one who had gotten breathless.

Han watched her as she let a wicked grin crawl across her face and she began to pull at his shirt and walk backwards as she asked, "Would you like to see the bedroom?"

"Well, I'm really dying to check out the kitchen, but…"

Her face suddenly got serious and she took two steps towards him, almost lunging at him. He caught her in his arms and she was kissing him passionately before he even knew what was going on. Her arms were around his neck and he grabbed her by the hips and hoisted her up towards him. Shimmying her skirt up her thighs, she wrapped her legs around his waist and then pulled her head away from his and looked at him.

"I missed you," she said softly. Her eyes were glassy.

"I love you, sweetheart," Han answered her and then between kisses and nips and moans and gropes, he somehow found his way into their bedroom, stumbling onto the bed and on top of Leia before their eyes finally met again.

The minute their eyes met the smoldering fire between them cooled as if a bucket of iced water had been thrown on them.

Han watched as Leia swallowed a lump in her throat and then broke the awkward silence when she said, "I'm sorry how I left things between us."

Shifting to his side and settling in alongside of her, he grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together as he said, "Nothing to apologize about."

"I'm sorry how I dropped all of that on you at Alderaan."

Tears were trickling down the side of her face now and Han's heart ached as if someone was squeezing it in a giant fist. "C'mere," he said simply as he pulled her to him and she began to sob violently, her shoulders and chest heaving within his embrace.

After a long while he heard her struggling to calm herself and as she began to take several deep cleansing breaths, she mumbled into his chest, "I really am a lot better."

Han smiled. "I know, sweetheart," he said as he squeezed his arms around her, "but this is what I'm here for."

"Thank you," she whispered as she pulled him closer to her.

When her breathing had returned to almost normal Han felt her stir in his arms and he loosened his embrace. She pulled her head away from him and looked him in the eyes, offering him a small, weak smile.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" Han asked gently.

"No," she shook her head and then added, "not tonight."

Her answer let him know, not surprisingly, that she still had lots to work out. He also felt, thankfully, that it was a good indication that she was ready to be open and talk things out which was a huge relief for him.

She wiped her face and then moved to sit up and he shifted to enable her to do so.

"I'm going to run to the 'fresher," she whispered and then when Han began to scoot off of the bed she grabbed his arm and said, "Why don't you get comfortable?"

"Leia," he started but she interrupted him.

"Please?" she said as she scooted off of the bed and then turned to stand in front of him. Offering her hand out to him, she helped him sit up in front of her and as she moved his bangs off of his forehead, her eyes watching her hand, she said, "I want us…"

As her voice trailed off her eyes dropped down to meet his, and after a short silence he replied, "You want us _toooo_…what?"

"No," she said with a smile as she shook her head and bit her bottom lip. Then, running her fingers along his afternoon stubble, she continued, "I think that was it. I want us."

The tight iron fist that had been squeezing his heart slowly loosened its grip and Han let out a deep breath and gave her a lopsided grin as she bent down and quickly kissed his cheek and then he watched her turn around and disappear into the 'fresher.


	3. Chapter 3  Beginnings

As the Dust Settles

Chapter Three: Beginnings

Han sat on the edge of their bed and watched the door of the 'fresher for a little while. Unsure just how comfortable he should make himself, he began to kick his boots off and remove his holdout blaster from around his ankle. When the 'fresher door slid open he raised his head and thanked the goddess he was sitting down as his heart fell down to his knees.

Leia smiled at him and walked towards him wearing nothing but a sheer gossamer slip. As all the blood in his body seemed to coalesce into one spot, Han cleared his throat and straightened himself up on the bed.

As she stopped to stand in front of him, she looked down at his eyes and gently running her fingers through his hair, she whispered, "I thought I told you to get comfortable."

Clearing his throat a little bit, Han smiled and said, "I was working on it."

"Let me help you," she whispered as she tugged on his arm for him to stand.

Standing in front of her now, Han felt as if he was watching himself from afar. As she nimbly ran her fingers over the fabric of his shirt and began to tug and pull the garment off of his frame, he felt sure that he was dreaming. The love they had shared on their way to Bespin had been frantic and desperate, and Leia had been passionate but shy and reserved. Han felt as if their roles had reversed as he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat.

He felt her fingers lightly exploring his chest and then slowly moving down to his abdomen as the pressure built inside of him like boiling water in a kettle. Upon reaching his waist, her fingers stilled and she looked up at him. Placing a hand on the side of her face, he said, "You're beautiful."

He watched her smile at him and then followed her hands as they trailed along the edge of her slip and lifted the gauzy fabric up and over her head. Unable to resist any longer and finally finding his bearings, Han lowered his mouth down to hers and kissed her as his hands began to rediscover the territory that had just been revealed to him. Her skin was cool to his touch but her breath was hot against his mouth and neck as they broke their kiss and explored each other with tiny kisses. The smell of her hair was enticing as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled hungrily.

Their time together on Bespin had been a voyage of discovery to somewhere they thought they may never return to again. Now their exploration took on a different tone; one of memorizing and studying those places that you know you want to visit over and over again for the rest of your life.

He felt her hands on his waist and heard his buckle open with a pop as his pants slid down his legs to the floor. Stepping out of his pants, Han let out a throaty groan as Leia pressed herself against him causing a wonderful mixture of pleasure and pain. As he felt his boxers sliding down to the floor, Han gently pulled her towards him and they collapsed together on the bed.

It was slow and familiar and yet it was fleeting and new. A touch or a throaty moan would remind Han of the nights he had spent with her in his arms, tantalizing and familiar. While at the same time a delicately placed kiss or a playful whisper would reveal a brand new side of his princess. And when it was over and he held her in his arms, sweaty and exhausted, the knowledge that time was not bearing down on them transformed the experience in yet another way.

But then there was something else. Something that had crept inside of him that was so foreign and intangible that it scared him at first. Breathing a heavy sigh and feeling Leia's breath against his neck and her back rising and falling beneath his arm, he stilled his thoughts and concentrated on this invisible, uninvited guest. He let it nestle up inside of him, curl up and get comfortable. A slow, burning warmth permeated from the spot and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He had placed it. It was a something he hadn't felt in as long as he could remember.

He was home.

As he pulled the covers over them and Leia stirred in his arms, Han heard a low rumble coming from his stomach.

"Are you hungry?" she asked as she propped her chin up on his chest.

"What makes you say that?" he joked and gave her a squeeze.

Wiggling out of his arms he watched her crawl towards the edge of the bed and grab the comm. Feeling another hunger growing inside of him as he appreciated the view. As she looked down at the comm and pressed a few buttons, her eyes quickly darted to meet his and she looked down at herself and then back at him and gave him a shy smile.

He listened to her order a meal fit for an army and then felt his urge surge again as she bent towards the nightstand and placed the comm on its base. As she crawled back towards him, he made no attempt to hide his lust and preoccupation with her current state of undress.

"It'll be here in a little bit," she said as she smiled at him and kissed him in a way that made him feel that she knew very well what was running through his mind.

"You didn't give them the apartment number," Han noted as he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and trailed his finger down her neck and chest.

"Oh, they know me," she replied matter-of-factly as her hands roamed through his hair and down the back of his neck.

"I _was_ somewhat surprised that you would even know where the kitchen was…"

"Don't be," she said with a quick kiss on his lips, "it's where the kaffe dispenser is."

He smiled at her and they both chuckled and then growing serious their lips crashed together in a heated kiss.

They were lying in each other's arms again, covered in perspiration and still trying to catch their breath when the door chime rang throughout the apartment.

Han lost the argument on who would have to answer the door and, slipping on his boxers, he disappeared and then returned to their bedroom with an armload of Alderaani cuisine. The couple set up a picnic on the large bed and shared their first meal in their first apartment.

"Ummmm, this is really good," Han offered.

"Oh, I know. There's a really good Corellian place, too. But they don't deliver."

"Have you even turned on the range?" He asked as he gave her a pointed look.

"No. Why would I?" she replied nonchalantly as she sipped on her clear soup.

Han laughed at her and shook his head as he looked down at the little boxes and searched for what he wanted to try next.

"What? I'm not going to cook for just me."

"Right," he chuckled as he broke off a piece of bread and popped it in his mouth.

"I _can_ cook, you know," she protested as she took a sip of her carbonated beverage.

Reaching out to her and taking the beverage from her hand, Han said, "Oh, I know," right before he took a long sip of the drink himself.

"That range on the _Falcon_ is faulty!" she argued vehemently.

Han finished swallowing his drink and then reaching behind him to set the cup on the nightstand he turned around and said, "I've got no problem with it. Chewie's got…"

"You and Chewie can press a button in the cockpit that'll flush the toilet in your cabin. I don't want to hear about what you two can do on the _Falcon_."

"How do you know about that?" Han laughed and then Leia joined him before she leaned towards him and gave him a deep, delicious kiss.

As she pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes he licked his lips and said, "Oh, what is that? That's spicy."

Leia looked down at the tiny box of noodles in front of her and then twirled several noodles around her fork and offered it to Han. He closed his eyes and let out a delightful, "ummmmm." When he opened his eyes Leia was watching him and he winked at her, which snapped her out of her trance and they both continued to finish their meal.

Han had cleaned off the bed while Leia went to the 'fresher. When she walked back into their room she was pulling a thin night gown over her head and she met his eyes as the material slid down her body and stopped above her knees.

Walking into his arms she said, "You know, we should probably talk about your meeting with the New Republic tomorrow," as she played with the hair on his chest.

Han sighed as he kissed the top of her head and then pulling away from her he said, "C'mon," as he grabbed her hand and led her towards their family room, "Tell me whatcha got."

Leia followed him silently which Han took as a bad sign. He imagined good news would be spilling out of her like an overturned whiskey bottle. The uncertainty of what he would do with himself in this new life of theirs was not something that hadn't crossed his mind in the last six months, it was just that other worries had taken precedence. Worries that now seemed, thankfully, unfounded. If during his absence Leia had determined that they would be living together, Han was more than sure that she had been doing some reconnaissance work of her own on a possible career option for the reformed smuggler.

He plopped himself down on the sofa and was surprised when Leia opted to straddle on top of him so that they sat face-to-face. _She could get me to agree to anything in this position, _Han thought to himself and then worried that there could be a little too much truth in that thought as he watched Leia looking at him in that way she looked when she was searching for words to say. As far as he could tell, he was about the only person in the galaxy that could give pause to Leia Organa. Sometimes that was a good thing, sometimes it was not.

She took her hand and moved his bangs off of his forehead and then trailed her fingers down the side of his face, ending up with tracing her forefinger over the scar on his chin as she said, "There is a position that I hoped you might be interested in."

Somewhat nervous but also somewhat relieved, Han replied, "Well, if it's anything like this position, you've got me sold," as he ran his hands up her thighs.

She smiled at him but it was a half-hearted attempt. She was ready to be serious so he immediately complied as he added, "So, tell me about it."

"Well, they've played around with the title a bit, but currently it's being called the Galactic Trade Commissioner."

"Does it come with a cape?"

Leia laughed in spite of herself and then said, "I know. But the title doesn't matter. I really think the responsibilities of the role might interest you."

"Alright, I'm listening."

And Han did listen as Leia explained the role of Galactic Trade Commissioner. The role would oversee the galactic trade lanes; it would deal directly with the trade federation in setting up the by-laws, taxation and policing of basically everything and anything that entailed moving goods from planet to planet.

"So, basically I would be the guy that all the smugglers would be griping about and blaming for all the ills in their lives."

"Not if the job is done _correctly_ and _justly_. You could make it possible for smugglers to make an honest living. To get paid above the board for what they do and not have to resort to working for the Hutts to earn a decent living."

"That's a tall order, sweetheart. And…" Leia opened her mouth to interrupt him but he pressed on, "_And_, I don't care how fair and just the system is, there will always be smuggling going on."

"For _illegal_ contraband, yes, but it's so bad out there now that we have pilots smuggling food and house wares." Leia let out a long sigh of disappointment as she dropped her eyes down away from his. That didn't go unnoticed by Han.

"Sweetheart, I'm not saying the job doesn't sound interesting to me," she looked up at him and he continued, "I just want to be sure I know what I'm getting myself into and what the New Republic is going to expect from a role like this. I won't become some sort of hypocrite."

"I know that," she said as she leaned in and kissed him, "Don't you think I know that?"

"I know _you_ know that, it's High Command I'm worried about."

"You'll have to outline your own expectations. I only thought the role sounded well-suited for you. I don't know what kind of latitude it would be given or what you would expect."

"Okay, it does sound interesting. At least I can have thought about some of that before my meeting tomorrow."

"Exactly, and…"

"How did I know there would be an _and_?" Han teased as he smiled at her.

"_And_, the Galactic Trade Commissioner would just so happen to have to work very closely with the Ambassador-At-Large," she said as she watched her fingers play with the hair on his chest.

"Would he, now?"

"Yes," Leia replied as she leaned into him and began to kiss a trail along his neck, "trade talks are usually at the forefront of petitioning star systems as well as established members." And then as she nibbled on his ear she added, "The commissioner would most probably accompany me on all of my off-planet visits as well as sit on some of the same councils with me on Coruscant."

Han cleared his throat and shifted a little in his seat as he said, "I'll have to factor that in to my decision."

Leia pulled back from him and asked curiously, "As a pro or a con?"

"Exactly," he chuckled as he pulled her towards him and captured her mouth in a kiss.

_Finis_...


End file.
